Experiment 22: Thin Lenses

Figure 22.1: Optical Bench Arrangement

EQUIPMENT

Optical Bench
(2) Lens Holders
(4) Optical Bench Clamps
Object Box (Light Source)
Small Screen
Large Screen (clipboard, paper)
Bi-Convex Lens (Converging Lens) Bi-
Concave Lens (Diverging Lens) 30-cm
Ruler
Flashlight (1 per person)
Lens Cleaning Towelettes (TA’s Table)

125
126 Experiment 22: Thin Lenses

Advance Reading to the optical axis refract towards the normal and fo- cus at a
point (small area) called the focal point, F . The distance
Text: Thin lenses, converging lens, diverging lens, lens equation, between the center line of the lens and the focal point is the
object distance, image distance, refraction, focal length, focal length, f . Refer to Fig. 22.2. Fig. 22.2 through Fig. 22.6 are
magnification, index of refraction, real image, virtual image. courtesy of Giancoli’s Physics1.

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to measure the fo- cal lengths

of a converging lens and a diverging lens and investigate
magnification.

Theory

Light refracts (bends) when passing through media with

di↵ erence indices of refraction. This property can be very
useful, especially when a thin lens is used. A thin lens’
thickness is muchless thanits diameter.

A converging (convex, positive) lens is thicker in the center

than at the edges. It can be used to focus parallel light rays
and form a real image as the light travels from air to glass
and back to air (nair ⇡ 1.0, nglass 1.5). A real image is Figure 22.2: Ray Tracing: do ! 1, di ⌘ f
formed⇡by light actu- ally passing through the image. A real
image can be projected on a screen. The image exists regardless
of whetheror nota screenisin positiontoshowit.
For a converging lens, rays of light that are parallel to each other
A diverging (concave, negative) lens normally forms a virtual
but not parallel to the optical axis will still refract towards the
image. Light rays do not actually pass through a virtual image.
normal, but will focus at the focal plane.
It cannot be projected on a screen. When you look at yourself
in a mirror, you are look- ing at a virtual image. If the object is
real, the image is virtual. However, when a diverging lens is
used in combination with a converging lens, for instance, the
object canbe virtual, theimage real. Parametersmust be met for
a real image to be formed; read the Part 2 procedure
carefully.
An important property of a lens is its focal length, f . The focal
length of a thin lens is given by:

1 1 1
+ = (22.1)
do di f

where do is the object distance and di is the image distance.

These distances are measured from the lens.

Consider Eq. 22.1. For an object that is infinitely far away (do
! 1).

Rays of light from an object very far away from a thin lens will be Figure 22.3: Ray Tracing: Focal Plane
approximately parallel when they reach the lens. The light rays
will then refract as they pass through the lens. For a converging
lens, rays parallel

1Giancoli, Douglas C., 2005. Physics, 6th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Experiment 22: Thin Lenses 127

Rays oflight from a nearby object willarrive at thelens at various Lateral magnification, M , is defined as the ratio of the
angles. The light rays will then refract as they pass through the image height, hi, to object height, ho. The ob- ject height is
lens and, for a converging lens, form an image at a distance di assumed to be positive; the image height is positive if the image
(refer to Fig. 22.4). is upright and negative if the image is inverted.
hi
M= (22.2)
ho

Magnification is also proportional to the relative dis- tances of

object and image from the lens:
di
M=— (22.3)
do

Figure 22.4: Ray Tracing: Nearby Object The sign conventions for object distance and image distance
remain the same. These are calculated as in Eq. 22.4 and Eq.
As mentioned, a diverging lens will usually form a vir- tual 22.5.
image. The image can be seen but cannot be projected onto
a screen. The lab will be dark (lights o↵ ) for the remaining ex-
periments this semester. It is important that your flashlight
be pointed below horizontal at all times. This limits the
bleaching of visual purple, which permits night vision. Please
turn o↵ the flashlight when it is not in use and before you
leavelab.

Figure 22.5: Ray Tracing: Diverging Lens

To determine the focal length of a diverging lens in lab, we will
need to use two lenses. Thereal image from the converging
lens will become the virtual object for the diverging lens. Refer
to Fig. 22.6; although our arrangement must be somewhat
di↵ erent than shown below, the figure has the same concept we
require.

Figure 22.6: Ray Tracing: Combination Lenses

128 Prelab 22: Thin Lenses

Name:
1 1 1
1. Define the terms of the relationship
do
+ di
= f (Eq. 22.1) and state how each term is measured. (20 pts)

2. State the sign conventions for do and di. (20 pts)

3. What is the di↵ erence between a real image and a virtual image? (20 pts)

4. Define the terms of the relationship M = hi and state the sign conventions. (20 pts)
h o

5. What does optical axis mean? (10 pts)

6. What two methods will be used to calculate the focal length of a converging lens? (10 pts)
Experiment 22: Thin Lenses 129

PROCEDURE Method II - Use a distant object (do ! 1)

PART 1: Converging Lens 5. Hold lenses carefully by the edge. Project the image of a distant
object on a screen. One way to achieve this is to take the lens
Method I - Use the lens equation (Eq. 22.1) and a ruler to a long hall- way. Hold the lens such that light
from a distant light source at the other end of the hallway
1. Refer to Fig. 22.1. Mount the lens, screen, and light source on passes through the lens and focuses on the wall.
the optical bench. Adjust the height of the object, lens(es),
and screen so that the optical axis passes through the center 6. Adjust the distance between the lens and the screen until a
of each element. clear, distinct image of the distant light source is
projected onto the screen.
2. Adjust the position of the lens and the screen un- til a clear
image of the object is projected onto the screen. Considering 7. Measure the distance from the lens to the screen. This
Eq. 22.1, how many combina- tions of di and do are distance is f , as shown in Fig. 22.3. Eq. 22.1 shows that
possible? when do is large, di ! f .
3. Sketch the diagram shown in Fig. 22.7. Record the 8. Is the image inverted? Magnified? Reversed?
position of each device: O, L, i. Positions are measured
directly from the optics bench; a line is scribed on each 9. Compare f (average) from the two methods.
holder for accuracy.
4. Calculate do, di, and f (Eq. 22.1).

do = L — O (22.4)

di = i — L (22.5)

O: L: i:

do: d i:

Figure 22.7: Sketch required for all arrangements in

Part 1 and Part 3.

O is the position of the object.

L is the position of the lens.
i is the position of the image.
do is the calculated object distance (absolute value).
di is the calculated image distance (absolute value).
 130 Experiment 22: Thin Lenses

PART 2: Diverging Lens

To determine the focal length of a diverging lens, the lens

must create a measurable, real image as in Part 1. However, O: L: i:
light cannot be focused through a diverging lens to form a
real image unless that light was already converging. To
do: di:
accomplish this,a real image from a converging lens will be
used as a virtual object.2

10. Form a real image using a converging lens. Note:

do should be greater than 2f .

11. Begin your required sketch (Fig. 22.9).

12. Place the diverging lens between the converging lens and its
(real) image; refer to Fig. 22.8. The real im- age from the
converging lens is now a virtual object for the diverging
lens.
L: O: i:
13. Determine the position of the diverging lens’ image by
adjusting the screen’s position. do: di:

Figure 22.9: Sketch required for Part 2.

14. Complete your sketch (Fig. 22.9).

15. Determine do and di for the diverging lens.

16. Calculate f for the diverging lens.

Compare f of a Diverging Lens

17. Recalculate f using the following equation:

VW
f= (22.6)
V— W

where V and W are defined as:

V ⌘ |do| and W ⌘ |di|

18. Compare f values from Eq. 22.1 and Eq. 22.6 for the diverging
lens. If you followed the sign conventions closely, the f
values should be identical.
Figure 22.8: Diverging Lens Arrangement
19. Remove the diverging lens; set it carefully aside.

2For a diverging lens, either the object or the image can be real; the other must be virtual.
 Experiment 22: Thin Lenses 131

PART 3: Lateral Magnification, M PART 4: Equipment

Use only the converging lens to investigate lateral 32. Setthelenscarefullyaside where itwillnotbedam- aged.
magnification. Remember to sketch all arrange- ments as
in Fig. 22.7. 33. Unplug the light source and lay the power cord across
the optics bench.
20. Set do > 2f by adjusting the distance between the object
and the lens. Find the image using your large screen. Record
the position of the image and mark on the screen the top and
QUESTIONS
bottom of the image.
21. Measuretheimageheight,hi,andtheobjectheight, ho. Be sure 1. Draw ray diagrams for Method I and Method II (Part 1,
to measure the same dimension on both object and image. converging lens).
22. Calculate M : 2. Consider a concave lens made out of air that is im-

M = hi mersed in water (perhaps two watch glasses glued to eachend

(Eq. 22.2)
ho of a piece of pipe, with air inside). Will it form a real image
that can be focused on a screen?
23. Verify the magnification (M ) using the following Draw a ray diagram to support your answer.
equation: 3. If a convex lens with n = 1.30 and f = 25 cm is

M = —d
do
i
(Eq. 22.3) immersed in a fluid with an index of refraction that is also
1.30, what is the new focal length of the lens? Draw a ray
diagram.
24. Compare the twovalues of M .
4. What are the major sources of uncertainty in this
25. Set f < do < 2f . Locate the image. experiment?
26. Measure hi and ho.
27. Calculate M using Eq. 22.2.
28. Calculate M using Eq. 22.3.
29. Compare the two values of M .
30. Set do = f . Try to find di. Consider Method II and Eq.
22.1; where should the image be?
31. Set do < f . Look through the lens at the object. Note
your observations.